You’ve probably heard at least some conversation around Google’s plan to block third-party cookies. Did you flag it as something to investigate at a later time? If a significant portion of your digital marketing strategy is reliant on retargeted online advertising, now is the time to get up-to-speed.
The Basic Facts About Cookies
Cookies, in general, are files placed on a user’s computer to remember website configurations such as language preferences and login information. They also power web analytics and a more personalized web-browsing experience. There are mainly two types of cookies, first-party and third-party cookies.
- First-party cookies are usually in place to improve the user experience. They are created by the visited website.
- Third-party cookies are usually used for cross-site tracking and ultimately retargeted advertising. With third-party cookies, a domain outside of the current website creates the cookies.
So, What’s The Fuss About?
In early 2020 Google announced they will phase out third-party cookies within Chrome in 2022. Safari and Firefox did away with third-party cookies in 2013, but because Chrome accounts for over half of the browser market, Google’s announcement has received more attention. Marketers that lean heavily on retargeted ads are nervous about what this will mean for their future marketing strategy.
First-party cookies are not impacted by this change. However, that makes your job of clearly communicating the value of your site upfront more crucial so that your visitor consents to your first-party cookies.
Targeted Online Marketing Is Not Going Away
No need to fret. With cross-site tracking no longer at your disposal, there are still very effective ways to get in front of your ideal audience.
Having a clear understanding of your key customer profiles, their influencers and their affinities will give you plenty to work with. Find target customers where they are on any of their social channels and you’ll notice you can reach a larger audience than you could with retargeted ads. All it takes is thoughtful content and key social insights.
Learn More
Check out 3 Ways To Optimize Your Digital Marketing Without Third-Party Cookies to learn how to gather those key insights and be more strategic with your social media marketing. You can also request a ListenFirst demo, for a more personalized look at how social media analytics can help shape your marketing strategy.
